Netflix will rethink 'its entire investment in Georgia' if anti-abortion laws are passed

In the wake of Georgia's harsh new legislation on female reproductive health, bosses at streaming giant Netflix have revealed they are rethinking their investment in the state.

Earlier this month, representatives in Georgia signed a "heartbeat bill" that makes abortion illegal after the six-week mark - when it's first possible to detect a fetus' heartbeat - with harsh repercussions for anyone who decides to terminate their pregnancy after this point.

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It's a development that has already been challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), but Netflix has become the first major company to speak out against the abortion ban.

The streaming service, which films some of its original content in the state, said in a statement delivered by Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos that they'd be forced to reconsider their partnership.

"We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law," said Sarandos in a statement to Variety. "It's why we will work with the ACLU and others to fight it in court. Given the legislation has not yet been implemented, we'll continue to film there, while also supporting partners and artists who choose not to. Should it ever come into effect, we'd rethink our entire investment in Georgia."

One of the shows Netflix films in Georgia is Stranger Things - here's the trailer for the upcoming season three:

So far, Netflix is the only major content studio to speak out against the Georgia abortion ban. According to state officials, TV and film projects contributed about $9.5 billion to the Georgia economy last year, with 455 film and television shows filming in the southern state in 2018.

"Georgia is one of the world’s top destinations for film production and communities across the state are seeing the benefits of welcoming the industry," said outgoing Governor Nathan Deal in a statement made in August last year. "I am proud to see our success continue, as the $9.5 billion in total economic impact reflects the sustainability of the film industry and the benefits of our competitive incentives program."

This article first appeared on VT.co and was shared with permission.